AirAsia Posts Small Profit Rise

By

Jason Ng

Nov. 21, 2012 9:47 a.m. ET

KUALA LUMPUR—AirAsia Bhd. eked out a modest rise in third-quarter net profit, reflecting the pressures on low-cost regional carriers caused by high fuel prices, but Southeast Asia's largest budget airline by fleet size expects a better performance in the final three months of the year because of its expansion plans.

Net profit for the three months ended Sept. 30 rose 3.6% to 157.8 million ringgit ($51.5 million) from 152.3 million ringgit in the year-earlier period, the company said in a statement Wednesday. Revenue was up...